A federal judge has ruled that the city's former policy allowing new prisoners to be strip-searched, regardless of the charges against them, was unconstitutional.
U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer ruled last week that the policy, which was changed in January 2004, violated constitutional rules allowing such searches only when inmates are newly arrested on suspicion of crimes involving drugs or violence, or when guards have evidence that an inmate is concealing weapons or contraband.
